Improvement in corn-planters



I. H. ENGLE I CORN PLANTER.

Patented Aug. 29, 187-6;

N. PETERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER WAS IN Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. ENGLE, OF HAMBURG, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORN-PLANTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 181,563, dated August 29, 1876; application filed January 22, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J. H. ENGLE, of Hamburg, in the county of Fremont and in the State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-Planters; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a corn-planter, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which- Figure l'is a side elevation of my machine. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the corn box or hopper. Fig. 4 is a view, showing a plan and a longitudinal section of the dropping-roller.

A represents the frame of my corn-planter, supported upon the axle B, having a drivingwheel, 0, on each end. On the front end of the frame A is secured a beam, D, extendin g on both sides of the frame and beyond the line of the driving-wheels. To this beam are secured the corn-boxes E E, the lower ends of which form feet G G. The rear side of such shoe is formed-of a hinged or pivoted plate, G, held by means of a spring, a, to close the lower end thereof. In the bottom of each cornbox E is a horizontal dropping-droller, H,'in which is a pocket'or recess, b, to receive the grains of corn to be dropped. This pocket or recess is provided with a slide, at, by means of which said pocket or recess may be enlarged or diminished at will, so as to drop more or less corn, as desired, in each hill. On one end of the roller H is formed a journal, 0, which projects through the side of the box, and on the same is secured a crank or arm, I, connected by a rod, f, with an arm, J, projecting from a rocking shaft, K. All the three arms J project on parallel. lines from the shaft K, so that by rocking this shaft the three dropping-rollers H are worked simultaneously in r the same direction back and forth. From each of the arms J projects a pin, h, which operates on the upper end of the hinged plate G, to open the lower end of the shoe G at the proper time to drop the corn deposited in the shoe by the rocking of the roller H. From the rocking shaft K extends an arm or lever, L, along one side of the frame A. This lever is on its outer side, at a suitable point, provided with a stud and roller, 2', which is operated upon by a three-armed cam-wheel, M, secured on the inner end of the hub of the drivingwheel. As the machine moves forward the arms of this cam-wheel, operating on the rollor i, raise the lever L and turn the shaft K, to rock the dropping-rollers H, and, as soon as each arm of the cam-wheel passes the roller 73 the lever falls down of its own weight and returns the rock-shaft and rocking rollers to their former position. a vertical guide, N ,having a shoulder or offset at its upper end, upon which the lever, after being raised, may be rested, and thus throw the dropping mechanism out of gear. On the front of each corn-box E is attached an arm, 0, with circular rolling colter P mounted in its lower forked end, and in rear of the foot is a coverer, R, connected to said foot by a link, m, as shown. In a circumferential groove on the axle B is placed a hookbolt, 10, to which is pivoted a lever, S, by means of which the driver, seated on the seat T, can easily at any time raise the front end of the machine, as required. v

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a corn-planter, the combination with the rocking shaft K, connected with and operating the dropping-rollers H, of the lever L,

with stud and roller '5, and the three-armed cam-wheel M, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The combination of the rocking shaft K, arms J J, having projecting pins h h, the connecting-rods ff, cranks l I, rollers H H, and pivoted back plates G G, with their springs or a, all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 24th. day of December, 1875.

JOHN H. ENGLE.

Witnesses:

0. L. EVERT, O. H. WAKEFIELD.

The lever L moves in- 

